84
INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The total number of cases of infectious disease reported by registered medical practitioners during the year was 1,171 of which no less than 572 were Bubonic Fever (Plague), and 410 were Cholera. I attach a tabular statement of the incidence of Bubonic Plague throughout the year (Appendix A.) but have not compiled a separate report on the outbreak for 1902, as a report on this subject is anticipat- ed from Professor SIMPSON as the result of his investigations in this subject. The whole of the Plague staff, including, during the height of the epidemic, considerably over two hundred Chinese disinfecting coolies, rat-catchers, etc., was inoculated with Haffkine's anti-plague serum with the result that not a single case occurred among the staff, whereas in the previous year out of thirty rat-catchers seven are known to have died of Plague while five others left the Colony sick-two of whom died at their homes in China. The results therefore of the Haffkine inoculation coupled with strict discipline in regard to cleanliness and the wearing of leather boots when on duty, were eminently satisfactory as regards the Plague staff. The following table shews the number of cases of the other infectious diseases reported during each quarter of the year :—
Infectious Disease.
1st Quarter. 2nd Quarter. 3rd Quarter. 4th Quarter. Total.
European,
Enteric Fever Chinese,
Other Asiatics,
European,
NNNOD
7
9
8
28
2
1
14
2
2
3
13
3
1
7
Small-pox
Chinese,
24
20
2
48
Other Asiatics,
1
1
2
444
European,
2
13
5
20
Cholera
Chinese,
44
274
86
4
408
Other Asiatics,.
4
21
32
European,
2
2
4
8
Diphtheria
Chinese,
3
1
7
Other Asiatics,.
3
I
1
5
...
Puerperal Fever-Chinese,.....
2
3
2
7
Total,..
100
352
117
30
599
Of these 599 cases 38 are known to have been imported, while in many other cases the source of infection could not be traced as the bodies were found in the streets or in deserted houses. Twenty- five of the imported cases were Cholera, nine were Small-pox, and four were Enteric Fever.
ENTERIC FEVER.
The total number of cases of Enteric Fever reported during the year was 55 as compared with 75 during the previous year; the European cases numbered 28 as compared with 47 in 1901 and 34 in 1900, while there were 14 Chinese cases, 10 Japanese and 3 Indian. It is important to record, how- ever, that at least three of these European cases were imported from neighbouring ports, while one Chinese case and one "other Asiatic case are also known to have been imported. Most of the Chinese cases are, however, not discovered until after death, and it is then often impossible to obtain any infor- mation as to their length of residence in the Colony.
The number of deaths among the Europeans was 4, which gives a case mortality of 14.3 per cent., while the total number of deaths among the non-Chinese was ten. Two of these ten deaths occurred in men from the Mercantile Marine, leaving eight among the resident civil community. Six of the deaths occurred among the Japanese out of ten cases, while all of the 14 cases occurring among the Chinese were reported after death.
Of these 14 Chinese cases so reported, 6 were in children at or under six years of age, while three others were under 14 years of age. I have in previous reports discussed this interesting fact of the occurrence of Enteric Fever in Chinese children.
The ages of the non-
-Chinese cases may be classified as follows :-
Years.
Years.
Years.
Years.
Years.
Years.
10-15-
15-20.
20-30.
30-40.
40-50.
Years. 50-60.
60 and upwards.
Total.
3
28
7
3
0
0
41
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